Method and apparatus for preventing raveling of fabric ribbons along their cut side edges



1968 M, w. WASSERSTEIN 3,367,810

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PREVENTING RAVELING' OF FABRIC RIBBONS ALONG THEIR CUT SIDE EDGES Filed March 15, 1964 FIG. 3

FIG. 6

26 26 llb INVENTOR MORRIS W. WASSERSTEIN ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,367,810 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PREVENT- ENG RAVELING 0F FABRIC RIBBONS ALONG THEIR CUT SIDE EDGES Morris W. Wasserstein, Brooklyn, NFL, assignor to Wasserstein Bros, Inc, New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Mar. 13, 1964, Ser. No. 351,775 12 Claims. (Cl. 156-88) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Producing ribbon-s from a relatively wide sheet of a fabric, which is susceptible of raveling when cut, by feeding the fabric sheet to a plurality of spaced cutting locations, feeding an adhesive tape to each of the cutting locations and into contact with the underside of the fabric sheet, cutting the laminar structures constituted by the fabric sheet and the underlying tapes, and simultaneously subjecting the same to sufficient pressure to compact the severed marginal regions of each ribbon and to cause such marginal regions to become adhered to the underlying severed portions of corresponding tapes.

This invention relates to fabric bands or ribbons, as well as to a process of and apparatus for producing the same.

Fabric ribbons of relatively small width are, for reasons of economy, generally produced by cutting a relatively wide woven or knitted fabric sheet material into relatively narrower bands of the desired width. This procedure leads to the disadvantage, however, that the fabric may begin to revel at the cut edges thereof, i.e. along the side edges of the bands, thereby impairing the appearance, dimensions and strength of the ribbons and possibly rendering the same unfit for use. This is particularly the case with velvets where the raveling results in a loss of the nap or pile of the fabric.

It is an object of the present invention, therefore, to provide a novel process of producing ribbons by cutting or severing bands from relatively wider fabric sheet material in such a manner as to eliminate the aforesaid disadvantage inherent in the known processes.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of novel apparatus for carrying out the said ribbon-forming process.

It is a more specific object of the present invention to provide a process of and apparatus for producing ribbons from wider fabric sheet material which are characterized by the fact that a special strip of another sheet material is adhered to the said fabric sheet material concurrently with the cutting of the same in such a manner as to prevent the cut side edges of the ribbons from raveling.

Still another object of the present invention is the provision of fabric ribbons which are rendered incapable of raveling along their cut side edges during and subsequent to the cutting operation.

The foregoing and other objects, characteristics and advantages of the present invention will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description thereof when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary diagrammatic illustration of an apparatus for producing ravel-proof ribbons according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view in enlargement taken along the line 2-2 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1, the view being taken in the direction of the arrow A;

FIG. 4 is a schematic illustration of the manner of carrying out the process of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view of two severed portions of the starting fabric sheet material leaving the apparatus of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary top plan View of the said fabric portions, the view being taken along the line 66 in FIG. 5.

Referring now in particular to FIGS. 1 to 3, the apparatus it for cutting a fabric 11 into a plurality of relatively narrower bands or ribbons 11a, 11b etc. (FIGS. 5 and 6) comprises an elongated shaft 12 rotatably journaled in any suitable manner and arranged to be rotatably driven in the direction of the arrows B by means of a motor 13 through the intermediary of gearing or other transmission means 14. The shaft 12 is preferably hollow to accommodate therewithin heating means (not shown), for example either electric heating elements or ducts for circulating a heating fluid through the shaft in heat exchange relationship with the outer surface thereof. The purpose of this arrangement will be more fully explained presently.

Fixedly mounted on the shaft 12, as by being keyed thereto, at respective locations spaced from one another longitudinally of the shaft are annular metal dies 15 (only one is shown). Each of the dies 15 is provided with a flat, knurled outer peripheral surface 16 which is essentially bisected by a sharp, raised ridge 17 projecting radially outwardly relative to the knurled surface of the die.

Juxtaposed to the series of dies 15 is a corresponding series of pressure rollers 18 (only one is shown) each rotatably journaled by means of ball bearings or the like (not shown) on an axle or stub shaft 19. The opposite ends of each shaft 19 are non-rotatahly mounted on a respective arm 20 provided at its shaft-supporting end with a recess 21 accommodating the respective pressure roller 18. The various arms 20 (only one is shown) are mounted on a suitable support (not shown) for individual rocking movement toward and away from the respective dies 15, and have associated therewith suitable biasing means, e.g. adjustable fiat or curved leaf springs or the like (not shown), so arranged as to maintain the rollers 18 in surface contact with and pressed against the associated dies 15. The rollers 18 are preferably made of case-hardened steel or a similar high strength and wearresistant material.

Supported on each arm 20 adjacent the recess 21 thereof is a bracket 22 which extends upwardly from the frame member and at its uppermost end supports a fiat tubular guide member 23, the open end of which remote from the bracket 22 faces the nip between the associated die 15 and pressure roller 18. The dimensions of the slotlike opening 24 through the guide member 23 are such as to accommodate a relatively narrow tape or strip 25 of another sheet material which is to be fed into the nip between the said associated die and roller. The guide member 23 in the illustrated embodiment of the invention (see FIG. 2) is formed by folding over two laterally extending integral lugs or ears 22a and 22b of the bracket 22, but it will be apparent that the said guide member could be a separate element suitably affixed to the free end of the bracket. The guide member may be made of metal or of synthetic plastic materials and must be both capable of withstanding the frictional wear of the passing tape and sufficiently smooth-surfaced to prevent snagging of the tape.

Referring now to FIG. 4, in operation the fabric 11, here shown as a nappy type known as crush-resistant velvet, is fed into the nips of the various sets of associated dies 15 and pressure rollers 18, while jointly therewith a tape 25 is fed into each of the respective nips through the corresponding guide member 23. It will be readily understood that the number of paired dies and pressure rollers and the number of tapes 25 will correspond to the number of ribbons 11a, 11b etc. to be cut from the fabric. Each tape may be composed of fabric or paper or any suitable synthetic plastic material and preferably has applied to one of its surfaces, that is intended to come in contact with the fabric 11, a suitable pressure-sensitive or heat-sensitive adhesive. Any type of pressure-sensitive or heat-sensitive tape presently on the market and commercially available will serve the purpose, for example a tape of the class known as Scotch brand tapes, but alternatively it is possible to employ an ordinary uncoated tape of any suitable sheet material in conjunction with an applicator roller system positioned to apply the necessary adhesive to the tape prior to its coming into contact with the fabric 11.

It will be readily understood that as the fabric 11 and any one of the tapes 25 enter into the nip between an associated die and pressure roller, the same will exert a pressure on the now contacting portions of the tape and fabric coextensive with the die surface 16. If the tape is a pressure-sensitive tape or otherwise coated with a pressuresensitive adhesive, then the pressure exerted between the said die and roller will be suificient to effect the desired adhesion between the fabric and the tape. If, on the other hand, the adhesive is of the heat-sensitive or thermosetting type, then the heat imparted to the die 15 by the fluid or electric heating means disposed within the shaft 12, acting in conjunction with the exerted pressure, will function to cause the tape and fabric to become adhered to one another.

Concurrently therewith, of course, the knife-edge like ridge 17, which projects beyond the knurled surface 16 of the die, cuts through the adjacent layers of fabric and tape and severs the adjacent portions 11a and 11b thereof from one another. The same operation being duplicated repeatedly over the entire width of the fabric 11, the band-shaped portions 11a, 11b, etc. formed in this manner constitute the desired ribbons. As clearly shown in FIGS. and 6, each such ribbon has two flat and sharply compressed marginal regions 26 corresponding in width, respectively, to about one half the width of either one of the knurled surfaces 16 of the two associated dies 15. The upper surfaces of these marginal regions are characterized by a grooved or knurled appearance, and to the undersurfaces of these regions are adhered the corresponding edge regions 25a of the cut tapes 25. By virtue of the limited widths of the knurled or serrated die surfaces 16, there will be adjacent each edge of each ribbon at small width of tape not adhered to the undersurface of the fabric, as indicated at 25b in FIG. 5, but this is of no moment to the present invention, the prin cipal goal of which, i.e. rendering the ribbons 11a, 11b etc. ravel-proof as a concomitant of the fabric-cutting operation, is achieved by the formation of the compressed and adhesively laminated edge regions 26.

I claim:

1. The process of producing ribbons from a relatively wide sheet of fabric susceptible to raveling when cut, comprising the steps of feeding said fabric sheet to a plurality of cutting locations spaced from one another by the intended ribbon width, feeding a respective adhesive tape to each of said cutting locations and into contact with the underside of said fabric sheet, cutting the laminar structures constituted by said fabric sheet and the underlying tapes lengthwise of the latter, and simultaneously subjecting said laminar structures to pressure sufficient to compact the respective severed marginal regions of each ribbon and to cause said marginal regions to become adhered to the underlying severed portions of the respective tapes, whereby raveling of any such ribbon at the lateral edges thereof is effectively prevented.

2. The process of claim 1, wherein each of said adhesive tapes comprises a relatively narrow strip of sheet material having an adhesive coating on the surface that faces the underside of said fabric sheet.

3. The process of claim 2, wherein said sheet material comprises paper.

4. The process of claim 2, wherein said sheet material comprises a synthetic plastic material.

5. The process of claim 1, wherein each of said adhesive tapes is a pressure-sensitive tape.

6. The process of producing ribbons from a relatively wide sheet of fabric susceptible to raveling when cut, comprising the steps of feeding said fabric sheet to a plurality of cutting locations spaced from one another by the intended ribbon width, feeding a respective heatsensitive adhesive tape to each of said cutting locations and into contact with the underside of said fabric sheet, cutting the laminar structures constituted by said fabric sheet and the underlying tapes lengthwise of the latter, and simultaneously subjecting said laminar structures to heat and pressure to compact the respective severed marginal regions of each ribbon and to cause said marginal regions to become adhered to the underlying severed portions of the respective tapes, whereby raveling of any such ribbon at the lateral edges thereof is effectively prevented.

7. The process of claim 6, wherein each of said adhesive tapes comprises a relatively narrow strip of sheet material having an adhesive coating on the surface that faces the underside of said fabric sheet.

8. The process of claim 7, wherein said sheet material comprises paper.

9. The process of claim 7, wherein said sheet material comprises a synthetic plastic material.

10. Apparatus for producing ribbons from a relatively wide sheet of fabric susceptible to raveling when cut, comprising means for cutting said fabric sheet into at least one ribbon of the intended width, means for guiding at least one adhesive tape to said cutting means and into contact with the underside of said fabric sheet along each line of cutting of the latter, and means constituting at least a part of said cutting means for subjecting the laminar structure, constituted by said fabric sheet and the underlying tape, simultaneously with the cutting thereof to pressure sufiicient to compact the respective severed marginal regions of the cut portions of said fabric sheet along the line of cutting and to cause said marginal regions to become adhered to the underlying severed portions of the respective tape, whereby raveling of such ribbon at the lateral edges thereof is effectively prevented.

11. Apparatus for producing ribbons from a relatively wide sheet of fabric susceptible to raveling when cut, comprising a rotary cutting die and a rotary pressure roller arranged in rolling surface contact with said die for passage of said fabric sheet therebetween, and means for guiding an adhesive tape to the nip of said die and roller and into contact with the underside of said fabric sheet, said die and roller subjecting the laminar structure, constituted by said fabric sheet and the underlying tape, during the cutting thereof to pressure sufficient to compact the respective severed marginal regions of the cut portions of said fabric sheet along the line of cutting and to cause said marginal regions to become adhered to the underlying severed portions of the respective tape, whereby raveling of any such ribbon at the lateral edges thereof is effectively prevented.

12.. Apparatus according to claim 11, said die having a peripheral knurled surface engageable with said fabric sheet and being provided with a peripheral knife-edgelikc ridge disposed substantially centrally of said knurled surface.

(References on following page) 5 6 References Cited FOREIGN PATENTS UNITED STATES PATENTS 567,043 9/1957 Italy.

8/1925 Chase 156251 X A 12/1939 Allen 161M149 X EARL M. BERGERT, Prmmly Exammer.

5/1955 Thompson 161-63 X PHILIP DIER, Examiner. 5/1964 Curran 156-88 X 

